For the cattlemen on here

[sandhiller]

Unprecedented prices.
Never seen anything like this

TikTok - Make Your Day

Screenshot of you don't want to click on the link

$925 for a baby calf.
Just wow.
I paid $275 once and the missus thought I was crazy.

But weaned calves bringing over $2000 and bred cows
bringing over $3000.

Never dreamed I'd see prices like this

 

[n2ishun]

I don't believe (but have no idea for sure) that they are anywhere near that here.
I'll have to wait till Thurs which is the local cattle auction day.....will try to find out and report then.

Herd has been pretty self sufficient and have not needed to mess for a few years.
Good thing I guess ?

 

[sandhiller]

I keep enough replacement heifers each year that I haven't had to buy any bred cows for a long time
And with these prices, I am glad for that
Last year was very wet and the grass was real washy and had something to do with a lot of open cows at preggin time, I think.
Ranchers replacing more dry cows than normal might be supporting these prices but damn, that is a lot of money for a commercial cow.

Paying that much for a baby calf, I just can't make sense of.

I guess if calf prices are strong this fall, they will probably come out ok.

It's a gamble for sure.

 

[wvfarrier]

Only going to get to worse

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Wait until these prices hit the grocery store shelves.
Or
The market won't bring the money and the rancher is upside down which opens the door for a buyout by the corporate conglomerate (Chinese).
Sounds like market manipulation and I can't help but think that there's something else behind the curtain.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Think about the total end cost, once fed to shipping.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Wait until these prices hit the grocery store shelves.
Or
The market won't bring the money and the rancher is upside down

Many here are buying farm direct, from live hoof to white package. Farmer makes more, end user pays less, middle man gets shit. Win/win.

 

[hlee]

I don’t believe much I see from TicTok. Hard to believe anyone is buying feed lot cattle at $9 per lb.

Everyone thinks that every cow ever sold goes straight to the feed lot and on to the butcher. But, that’s not how it works.

We raised registered cattle (Beefmaster) when I was a kid and a bred heifer went for really good money (like $2k+ in the 80s) when the auction ring was bringing $0.50/lb or less. A bull with proven genetics could go for over $10k.

A rancher could make this work, assuming he’s buying genetics, and gets years of service out of the calf.

 

[ggmanning]

Sold a load last wekk and got 2.36 a pound for some.....never gotten that high. I sell at the 350-500# range. That post is nuts high unless its some kind of special papered cows auction.

 

[jmp1]

Sold a load last wekk and got 2.36 a pound for some.....never gotten that high. I sell at the 350-500# range. That post is nuts high unless its some kind of special papered cows auction.

That's my guess. Jackpot show folks will spend that kind of money all the time. Then take them home to the refrigerated barn to grow so much hair you can't find the flaws. It's just like everything else.....only those with deep pockets can play the games.

 

[PusherX11]

Many here are buying farm direct, from live hoof to white package. Farmer makes more, end user pays less, middle man gets shit. Win/win.
[/QUOTE

This year I paid 3k for my steer from ranch to freezer. Last year it was $2600.

 

[hlee]

That's my guess. Jackpot show folks will spend that kind of money all the time. Then take them home to the refrigerated barn to grow so much hair you can't find the flaws. It's just like everything else.....only those with deep pockets can play the games.

I don’t think you could win a show down here with a wooly bear. All the cattle I’ve seen shown have been sheared pretty damned short.

 

[GUNNER75]

I am not a rancher but know several in the area. I'm not familiar with current prices. Just thought I'd toss out some info that is local to me. Some of this information may be dated however a lot of it is pretty current. Just reporting what I've heard locally.

My Ol Man was a kill floor supervisor for one of the two large packing plants in SW KS for 25 years. Between the two packing plants they kill 6K each and employ over 8000K combined. Another tid bit of info is that (years ago) each head used about 1500 gallons of water to process (I'm certain it is at lease a little bit more efficient these days). I know at least USDA meat inspectors and two live in my community.

Between the two plants they have built two cold storage facilities and I'm told they have been full since completion. (Previous to this they used to pack reefer units and fire them up, yes that is several of them running 24/7)
The newer cold storage unit (Nor-Am near National Beef) is 148,000sq ft and has a capacity of 13,600 pallet positions. The older Linage unit (Near Cargill) has been here awhile but don't know much about it.

With that said I keep hearing from all, they can't believe the price of beef and keep saying at some point the market is gonna crash. Sure hasn't yet. Several things have delayed what they keep saying over time however they seem to all be on the same page.
Cattle are shipped in differently than years ago. Prime yields were around the 25% out of these plants and I heard they are up around 55% today. More cattle are being trucked in from the North and East vs South in which yields better grades. I've also heard a lot of the beef produced here goes to the East and West Coast where as it wasn't always that way.

FYI this is just the chatter I have retained and think it's interesting to think about the shear pounds of meat that is processed daily here.

 

[lariat]

Prices are for sure high, but there is more to the story with that pic. Buddy of mine sold a packer bull two weeks ago and get almost $3K. He said First calf heifers with the calf he sold were over $3500.

The fires in W Texas aren't going to help any. We are also hearing that the cows that were unscathed still have breathing problems from the smoke, so that messes up weight gain and all kinds of other things, which is on top of forage and hay up in smoke.

 

[jmp1]

I don’t think you could win a show down here with a wooly bear. All the cattle I’ve seen shown have been sheared pretty damned short.

Very few slick shear shows out here. Our local fair being the exception.

I'd be 100% in favor of getting rid of all the hair...it's b.s. You can do alot of hiding with hair.

 

[Milf Dots]

I like my beef the same way I like the taco- hair removed.

 

[sandhiller]

I'm trying to find out more on that baby calf, at 110 pounds it would be probably less than a week old. Just don't normally sell a calf that age unless it's momma died or has no milk.
And the person that buys a calf that age has a cow at home that lost it's calf and is looking for one to put back on her.
That is just an unreal price.
Could it be a club calf or registered bull calf to be used as a herd bull? possible but like I said that is a very unusual age to sell a calf by itself.
I agree there may be more to the story, just don't know what it is yet.
The calf and bred cow market remains strong and probably will until election.
I don't think these prices can sustain themselves and will come down, that is the nature of the market.
I do know I would not want to get caught with any of this high priced beef (that I owe money on) on my ranch when the market does correct itself

 

[lariat]

I'm trying to find out more on that baby calf, at 110 pounds it would be probably less than a week old. Just don't normally sell a calf that age unless it's momma died or has no milk.
And the person that buys a calf that age has a cow at home that lost it's calf and is looking for one to put back on her.
That is just an unreal price.
Could it be a club calf or registered bull calf to be used as a herd bull? possible but like I said that is a very unusual age to sell a calf by itself.
I agree there may be more to the story, just don't know what it is yet.
The calf and bred cow market remains strong and probably will until election.
I don't think these prices can sustain themselves and will come down, that is the nature of the market.
I do know I would not want to get caught with any of this high beef on my ranch when the market does correct itself

Bunch of dudes in my area sold before winter so they wouldn't have to feed and are waiting it out with the money they got from buying low and selling high.

 

[Potsy]

Real world (commercial) 5cwt steers lingering around $3/lb in TN.
Haven’t been that high since fall of ‘15.
Inputs (feed, fertilizer, diesel) don’t seem anymore stupid high than usual.

Of course, startup costs at $10k an acre (figure 2.5 acres/cow-calf pair in middle TN) at 8-9% might discourage some from taking up the farm/ranch lifestyle. Right now you’d net more on CD’s. One wonders why farmers/ranchers are saying fuggit and turning pastures into subdivisions.

 

[shields shtr]

What are the inputs like these days? Around here, I like it when farmers and ranchers make money. Keeps the temptation of selling their place to some tech sector numb nuts with money to burn who has no clue about our way of life out here. I don't blame them for doing it, especially when cattle prices were shit and they were struggling just to break even. I don't think many ranchers are out there to get crazy rich, but they still gotta be able to get out from under the bank and make it worth their while to feed the world!

Many here are buying farm direct, from live hoof to white package. Farmer makes more, end user pays less, middle man gets shit. Win/win.

My buddy does this on the producer side. He did it to break the chain of the traditional "ship em to the feedlot" mindset. They have a nice little niche and seem to be doing well.

 

[TheHorta]

Sold a load last wekk and got 2.36 a pound for some.....never gotten that high. I sell at the 350-500# range. That post is nuts high unless its some kind of special papered cows auction.

This is a link to Stockyard prices from 2 weeks right around the corner from me.

That TickFace post is bogus.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_1998.pdf

Basically $1-2/lb. Give or take.

If I could get even $5/lb anywhere in the CONUS, I’d load up our herd and drive them all there.

 

[superde]

Prices have been high, but inputs are high as well. Similar to your house value going up, but it is because our money is worth less. Best times were 2011 IIRC. 500-600 weight steers were bringing 1k+, and our expenses were less.

 

[ggmanning]

Prices have been high, but inputs are high as well. Similar to your house value going up, but it is because our money is worth less. Best times were 2011 IIRC. 500-600 weight steers were bringing 1k+, and our expenses were less.

You are right I'm getting higher average for cows this year probably 1.75 or 2.00 average but I'm also spending a hell of a lot more money for hay production costs.

 

[TheHorta]

We push for the Holy Grail of Zero Input Farming, and will be at the Homstead Convention in VA this Fall (anyone else going? Hide Hookup?). We’re big Salatin advocates and those of a similar mindset.

Unfortunately, unless you plan to do this full time and have little else going on in your life, true ZIF is a practical impossibility — you can get 50-80% of the way there, but it takes commitment and a LOT of trial-and-error. That said, minor adjustments can yield BIG dividends.

But it’s wonderful having a near-empty garbage can on your trash pickup days and training your brain and lifestyle to abhor and reject most of what constitutes modern living.

The Hide is my only “Social Media” outlet.

 

[TheHorta]

Prices have been high, but inputs are high as well. Similar to your house value going up, but it is because our money is worth less. Best times were 2011 IIRC. 500-600 weight steers were bringing 1k+, and our expenses were less.

I remember those days. Seems so long ago.

 

[brianf]

One of the more informative threads on the hide in a long time

 

[SmartDonkey]

Sounds like a lot of money for a calf.... but from the other side of it- I wouldn't sell mine for that price (assuming a beef calf).

If it is a beef calf then that is all the money that cow will bring you in the whole year- assuming you want to run her again and have a calf next year. You are still going to have almost all the same inputs into the cow if you run her dry or she has a calf on her side... so you would be better off running it for 6 more months and selling for $1700- $2000. $925 is not enough to run a cow for a year on.....- but as mentioned it could be a twin or not having a cow to raise it.

The N. American cattle numbers are at historic lows right now and according to the info people have not began to rebuild the herd numbers yet.... once they do it still takes time because you breed a heifer at 15 months... she calves at 2 yrs- and then the calf will be on her for at 6 months... so it is not a quick turn around.

Dairies often sell the calves at a few days old because they are in the milk market and not beef. There are places that buy them up and feed them on milk replacer (some of them are feeding 30 to 40 thousand calves)- and the last info I heard was $300 for a Holstein and $600 for a beef/Holstein cross.

 

[sandhiller]

If you have a cow, a really good cow, that through no fault of her own, (shit happens) loses her calf
And you want to keep her producing in your herd
And you don't have an old or poor milking cow you can pull a calf off of to graft onto her.
Then I can see going to town and buying a baby calf that someone has brought in.

Even at that outrageous (to me) price, in today's market, it will work and that cow will make you a little money
But the big thing is you don't have to send her to town to get her head cut off. Or run her open, that is like paying a hired man that doesn't show up for work

And hopefully, in future years, she will bring in some more heifers to keep as replacements to keep her good genetics going.

In times of good calf prices, keep more replacements back, sell more older cows to get the average age of your herd down.

Then you will be better able to hold on when the market corrects itself and it will correct itself.

 

[Devildog]

Geez, we buy half a cow every year for the freezer. Think we average around $12-13 hundred including processing.

 

[lariat]

If you have a cow, a really good cow, that through no fault of her own, (shit happens) loses her calf
And you want to keep her producing in your herd
And you don't have an old or poor milking cow you can pull a calf off of to graft onto her.
Then I can see going to town and buying a baby calf that someone has brought in.

Even at that outrageous (to me) price, in today's market, it will work and that cow will make you a little money
But the big thing is you don't have to send her to town to get her head cut off. Or run her open, that is like paying a hired man that doesn't show up for work

And hopefully, in future years, she will bring in some more heifers to keep as replacements to keep her good genetics going.

In times of good calf prices, keep more replacements back, sell more older cows to get the average age of your herd down.

Then you will be better able to hold on when the market corrects itself and it will correct itself.

Nurse cows can bring more money than people realize. I did it for years. I would buy older dairy cows and plug 3 calves on them from the salebarn. Instead of three cows I used one to feed three calves. Less feed than three cows (however, definitely way more than one beef cow, even with adequate pasture), but a lot more tending to the calves and cows. I grew a herd and made money with no bank involved. Shit ton of work though. And a longer time to grow the herd, but I never darkened the door of the bank.

Definitely need to be on your game if you go this route. Almost like running a dairy.

 

[diggler1833]

For the first time in a long time, it makes more sense for me to sell calves early. 500 weight calves are selling so high that I'll actually lose profit margin if I hold mine to 270 days like I did in years past (I average 680+ heifers and 720+ steers at 270 days old *minus ~ 10% culls). This year I'm going to wean at 175 and sell by 205 right after I get that second round in them. The last few years it has cost me about $1.80/day to feed one out, and my RADG was about 2.8-3.2lbs (average daily gain in weight). It never hurt to hold. Now I'd be better off selling early. Crazy times.

Of course, market is subject to change.

I am very blessed that we sell private treaty now for our top 80% to a couple of stockers. It saves several trips for us to OKC and helps just a bit with that profit margin...let alone our time.

It hasn't been long since we would just break even raising a bottle calf. I hated doing it. Now the prices are in "holy crap" territory, and I'd be looking to sell first chance I got rather than raising them to sell with the others.

 

[sandhiller]

Nurse cows can bring more money than people realize. I did it for years. I would buy older dairy cows and plug 3 calves on them from the salebarn. Instead of three cows I used one to feed three calves. Less feed than three cows (however, definitely way more than one beef cow, even with adequate pasture), but a lot more tending to the calves and cows. I grew a herd and made money with no bank involved. Shit ton of work though. And a longer time to grow the herd, but I never darkened the door of the bank.

Definitely need to be on your game if you go this route. Almost like running a dairy.

That happened out here too.
Most ranches had a milk cow for the kids
They would breed her to whatever bulls they were using and when she would freshen, if they didn't have bummer calves to stick on her, they would go to town and buy two or three more, back in them days usually $50 to $150 each.
She would raise those 3 or 4 calves with ease and they got a break from milking her during haying season and when they weaned they just kept milking her for the family

Your right, it is a lot of work but can be very profitable!

Neighbor had a good Brown Swiss x and anytime we needed milk he would let us take a milking, usually 1 or 2 gallons IIRC and the cream was awesome! The boys grew up on good milk and we saved money.

I agree with you on the bank
Problem out here is most places are big enough they need an Op note to get through the year till calf check time. It is a necessary evil and a part of doing business.

Or small enough like me that by running the ranch during the day and pulling a fuel transport at night and the missus working RN Hospice Nurse during the day we can keep up with our monthly bills.

Shed the bank about 15 years ago and don't plan on ever going back.

 

[sandhiller]

Geez, we buy half a cow every year for the freezer. Think we average around $12-13 hundred including processing.

Last half a beef we bought was $1300.50 for the side ($944.00) and processing ($356.50), last June
I have fed some out before but where I am strictly cow/calf, I had to buy the corn and protein also and not sure I saved any money doing it myself.
Enough people feed steers out to sell, it is easier to get one from them.

And you get a helluva lot better beef than from a grocery store.

 

[c1steve]

Many here are buying farm direct, from live hoof to white package. Farmer makes more, end user pays less, middle man gets shit. Win/win.

I just started that, and some friends as well. As grocery store prices go higher and higher, this will become more common. For grass fed, grass finished and no corn fed, price is $5.50lb. hanging weight. This is in California, where everything costs more except sunshine.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

I have a small farm and herd. I sell to individuals and have a pretty good list of people that want a half. This year I have gone from 1300 to 1500 per half to cover feed and hay prices. I didn't fertilize pastures last year because of the costs but I will bite the bullet and do it this year. That's going to be passed along next year. Last year's steers were right at 1500 pounds at 18 months.
The last cow calf pairs I bought were probably ten or so years ago. IIRC I paid about 1500 for them. In today's dollar that's probably close to $2700.

 

[sandhiller]

I have a small farm and herd. I sell to individuals and have a pretty good list of people that want a half. This year I have gone from 1300 to 1500 per half to cover feed and hay prices. I didn't fertilize pastures last year because of the costs but I will bite the bullet and do it this year. That's going to be passed along next year. Last year's steers were right at 1500 pounds at 18 months.
The last cow calf pairs I bought were probably ten or so years ago. IIRC I paid about 1500 for them. In today's dollar that's probably close to $2700.

Do you process them for your customers or take to a locker?

Most all go to a locker here, then the buyer tells the locker how he wants them cut up, steaks, ribs, hamburger, etc.
Last I heard the lockers were almost a year out to schedule a slot to get processed, they are that busy.

I see a few more small locker plants trying to start up, the work is sure there if they can jump through all the hoops

I think you guys that have established customers is the way to go.
You probabaly get paid a little better and the customer gets better tasting beef and he knows where it comes from
Very important today.

 

[lariat]

Do you process them for your customers or take to a locker?

Most all go to a locker here, then the buyer tells the locker how he wants them cut up, steaks, ribs, hamburger, etc.
Last I heard the lockers were almost a year out to schedule a slot to get processed, they are that busy.

I see a few more small locker plants trying to start up, the work is sure there if they can jump through all the hoops

I think you guys that have established customers is the way to go.
You probabaly get paid a little better and the customer gets better tasting beef and he knows where it comes from
Very important today.

Lockers around here are on a two year wait list. The way around that is to schedule for three consecutive years and be damned sure you have something ready to go. When the first date hits immediately schedule the next third year. Been like that for a while.

If you don’t have the setup butchering a cow is a long process. Missing out on a scheduled appointment is not the best plan.

 

[PusherX11]

I have a small farm and herd. I sell to individuals and have a pretty good list of people that want a half. This year I have gone from 1300 to 1500 per half to cover feed and hay prices. I didn't fertilize pastures last year because of the costs but I will bite the bullet and do it this year. That's going to be passed along next year. Last year's steers were right at 1500 pounds at 18 months.
The last cow calf pairs I bought were probably ten or so years ago. IIRC I paid about 1500 for them. In today's dollar that's probably close to $2700.

Thats exactly what I’m paying last year vs this year. Last year for 790lbs hanging I paid $2600 fully processed, this year I’ll be paying $3000. Steer will not be ready until May.

 

[PusherX11]

Do you process them for your customers or take to a locker?

Most all go to a locker here, then the buyer tells the locker how he wants them cut up, steaks, ribs, hamburger, etc.
Last I heard the lockers were almost a year out to schedule a slot to get processed, they are that busy.

I see a few more small locker plants trying to start up, the work is sure there if they can jump through all the hoops

I think you guys that have established customers is the way to go.
You probabaly get paid a little better and the customer gets better tasting beef and he knows where it comes from
Very important today.

Once my steer is hanging the processor calls me and asks how I want it. Then they call when it’s ready to pick up.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Do you process them for your customers or take to a locker?

Most all go to a locker here, then the buyer tells the locker how he wants them cut up, steaks, ribs, hamburger, etc.
Last I heard the lockers were almost a year out to schedule a slot to get processed, they are that busy.

I see a few more small locker plants trying to start up, the work is sure there if they can jump through all the hoops

I think you guys that have established customers is the way to go.
You probabaly get paid a little better and the customer gets better tasting beef and he knows where it comes from
Very important today.

I have a cut sheet for the customer to fill out and take it with the steer to the butcher. The customer picks it up from the butcher. A few of my older customers I will pick it up and deliver for them.
The butcher I use is booked for two years out. I've known him for twenty five years or more and if I need to get one in I can usually get a date within a few weeks. Because of the backlog there's a cancellation here and there. An added bonus is that I take care of his A/C system and a good friend of mine takes care of his refrigeration systems.
There's several small processing operations around here and they are all booked for about two years. There's also a good sized commercial processor. I had a cow with eye cancer that I took there about a year ago. After testing fees they paid $1.85/lb.

 

[sandhiller]

Sounds like it is the same all over then, locker bookings are way out there.
If someone wanted job security, this would be the profession to get into.
It is (to me) damn hard work though and you would earn your money.

Food safety and quality I think are worth more to a customer than price and you guys filling your niche markets are in the driver's seat. Take care of your customers and they will take care of you!

Branded Beef programs seem to be solid and I don't see them slowing down anytime soon.

If you rise above the woke grass eater's cries, the general populace wants, craves good beef to eat and you guys are fullfilling that for them.

 

[BScore]

go to town and buy two or three more, back in them days usually $50 to $150 each.

Those were the days!

 

[Ranchhand]

Central oregon prices

 

[superde]

I remember those days. Seems so long ago.

I think that means we are getting old.